At the 2010 Games there was a max overhead event. Yes, it was after a brutal conditioning event, and yes, they only had something like three minutes to test. DJ Wickham won the event with a 325# max, and Ben Smith was second with 295#.

Clearly, in three-and-a-half years we’ve come a long way. I’ve seen or heard of a few 400# Jerks in the last year, and both Marco and Kevin Simons have hit 400# in the last few months. But yesterday the probably still king of the Outlaws, Paul Estrada, got very close to a milestone that’s huge for real Weightlifters, not just exercisers.

When Paul sent me this video he didn’t tell me what it was. I sent it to four or five people after watching it, and we all said the same thing – everyone thought it was going to be a pedestrian 435# Back Squat. Then, right when you think Paul is about to start his squat, something jaw dropping happens… In a split second the bar snaps overhead. And there it is – a 435# Jerk. In WL language that’s 198kg. Just a measly two kilos from the magic, real Weightlifter number of TWO HUNDRED KILOS.

Paul Estrada – 435# (198kg) Jerk (behind the neck):

Oh yeah, speaking of being ridiculously strong… Nick Bloch got talked into an off-program Deadlift competition yesterday by his buddies. He didn’t ask me if it was ok because he knew I’d say no as quickly as AT&T wireless service would allow. When he sent me the video I tried to berate him as much as possible. However, I watched the video, saw he had done it relatively safely (I don’t like the hitches past the knees, or the dropping of the bar – but at least it wasn’t 45 seconds of dog poop position and spinal sheer), and realized just how effing heavy it was. Like state record real Powerlifter heavy.

Not bad for a guy that usually suffers from a case of the “kicksies”.

By the way, Nick – don’t ever do that again.

Nick Bloch – 620# Deadlift:

WOD 140123:

Rest day.